Book Review: Aroma Karsa (2018)

Synopsis: 

Raras Prayagung determined to find Puspa Karsa. When she found Jati Wesi, she had faith that this time Puspa Karsa will be hers.

Review:

This is the latest book of my favorite author from my hometown country, Dee Lestari. This book is written in Indonesian, but I reviewed this in English with hope that this book will be translated to English speaking countries and anyone that's reading this will have opportunity to read this book as I have my own copy now.

This is not the first book I read from Dee Lestari, previously I read her Supernova series, though I am not reading all the series but I liked her since I read Supernova and now this book's done its magic again in better version.

Jati Wesi is someone who's had special abilities with his nose, his olfactory organs is able to smell something very detail and from afar. He later meet Suma, Raras Prayagung' step daughter. Suma has same ability as Jati Wesi. Suma need to take epilepsy medicine to control her smell ability. Jati was picked by Nurdin Suroso and lived in Bantar Gebang where all the garbages from city' going there.
Jati is getting used to smell everything from the garbages. He worked as perfumer at Attarwalla shop, gardener at Graha Royal Bekasi complex, fertilizer factory staff and as Nurdin' staff at his decorative plants shop. Yet all his money never be his, he needs to give all his money to his step dad, Nurdin Suroso.

Oneday, Jati was arrested because Khalil his boss at Attarwala shop was arrested by police because the copyright of perfume of Puspa Ananta by Kemara Company. Police arrested both Khalil and Jati Wesi. Raras Prayagung as Kemara' owner promised to release Jati and Khalil as long Jati wants to work under her. Jati agreed. Later Raras bring Jati to live in her own house and introduce Jati to Suma. Since the first time, Jati arrived at their house, Suma already hate Jati and she keeps complain about Jati to her boyfriend, Arya and her mother Raras. Suma thought Jati was her competitor to get Raras' heart.

Raras still determined to find Puspa Karsa, so she makes the team for it. She collected the members, captain Jindra as security, Lambang the archeologist, Iwan as plant verificator and Jati to find Puspa Karsa with his special olfactory system. Yet, Jati rejected Raras' request. So Raras asked Suma instead. Jati Helped Suma to free from her epilepsy mediciation, she still not really confident enough, so she asked Jati to accompany her during the Puspa Karsa expedition. When arrived at Lawu mountain, Jati suddenly find special small purple fruit which known as manisrejo fruit, he feel the forest around him changed and he suddenly saw the humans who can climb very fast like monkey. Jati learned that they are Banaspati, human with special abilities. He met Empu Smarakandi who tell him that Anung is not his biological father. Jati always believed that Anung who is in jail is his biological father and keep visiting him for about 15 years. His fail admission didn't make him to upset, he come to that forest by himself.

During this visit, Jati learnt that he is banaspati and twenty six years ago, when Raras Prayagung came to the Dwarapala, Anung was captured by her. Anung brought his wife, Ambrik and her own daughter, Suma. Because at that time, its better to let Anung' family gone to protect the whole Dwarapala' community, Empu Smarakandi said that one banaspati had to be released and that banapati is Jati Wesi. Anung, Ambrik and the two babies (Suma and Jati) were running because they can't go back to Dwarapala. Later Anung did the Girah Rudira. Empu Smarakandi once said to them that Sanghyang Batari Karsa already aim Ambrik to incarnate and if they didn't do the Gurah Rudira, Sanghyang Batari Karsa will inherit to their daughter, Suma. So, Anung did the Girah Rudira to her wife, Ambrik. Anung went to jail because of this and Raras Prayagung took Suma with her, with hope that Suma will find Puspa Karsa for her.

Puspa karsa itself is dangerous plant who had special smell to attract peoples to get whatever they wants. Last history said Mahesa Guning who is king at Majapahit era, married his wife who is Puspa Karsa' incarnation. Mahesa Guning attracted strongly to her wife' smell as Puspa Karsa. Mahesa Guning believed that that Puspa Karsa' smell will bring him to be no. 1 king. Later Mahesa is not the the king anymore, he looks like a beggar and he killed his wife as Empu Smarakandi' instruction. The Puspa Karsa' spirit itself is locked in a plant until the next incarnation who is Ambrik and Suma as Ambrik' only daughter. Jati'd fallen in love with Suma and Suma loved him too. He determined to secure Suma from Puspa Karsa.

There are few things I still hope to see in this book, when Empu Smarakandi gave dewandaru pills to Jati for him to pass it to Anung to help his amnesia. I hope to see how far Anung can remember again. One more thing that I wonder how Puspa Karsa' incanation to be succesful after Jati' hard effort to save Suma and hit the Puspa Karsa' center with Kiongkong' poisons.

I really recommend this book, this book just beautifully written by Dee Lestari. I think this is the best book I ever read by Dee Lestari so far.

Rating: 4.5/5


Kind regards,


Selene.

Book Review: The Man in the Black Suit (2017)

Synopsis:

Acacia acts as replacement for her colleague Marcel to serve the most prestigious and attractive man named Nicholas Cassirer. She both irritated and captivated to his charms.

Review:

This is the first time I read Sylvain Reynard' novels. Unlike most novel I read who shows the real name of the author. Sylvain Reynard is just a pen name of anonymous Canadian writer. I can say this novel has a good writting skills and plot. Beside, this novel also tells other things beside love including culture differences, religions, language and thoughts.

Acacia just works for few months as a concierge. When her colleague named Marcel has been attacked, she acts as his replacement. She has to deal with the honored guest Pierre Breckman. She was irritated with his temper. Later when she saw Pierre Breckman covered the lost art, she reported him to her ex boyfriend Luc. Luc brought his agent Brb to investigate further but at the end release Pierre Breckman with the reason its reproduction painting. This incident caused Acacia to be demoted as night shift concierge and threateaned to be fired by her manager. She later meet the work agency and apparently find Nicholas Cassirer as the man behind that. She learnt that Nicholas Cassirer is the real name of Pierre Breckman. Nicholas offered Acacia a job as his assistant which she refused. Oneday, after Acacia night shift' ends, she's being attacked by anonymous man, Nicholas' security saved her and Nicholas insist Acacia' need to get away for a while. While they were in Santorini, both of them falling in love and they started their relationship. Yet their relationship hit the rocky point when Acacia fight Nicholas' urge to kill his enemy. Acacia thought revenge is only open more violent and killing others instead of finding end or peace. Eventually Nicholas understand what Acacia' point of view. They accept the differences between them, Acacia is half jordanian and muslim  , whereas Nicholas is jews. They can accept the differences and stand for their love.

I think the ideas and the problems of Nicholas and Acacia' relationship is pretty matured. I like their love story. This is beautifully written by Sylvain Reynard. I recommend this book if you're looking into deep love story.

Rating: 4/5


Kind regards,


Selene.

Film Review: Downsizing (2017)

Synopsis:

American researchers successfully conduct experiments called downsizing. Humans have choices to be downsizing and have a new life.

Review:

I think this film has very unique idea, where humans have choice to be shrink in size or just having current life. There is new world called leisureland, where downsizing humans can have new life. If in real life they can't afford to buy a house like Paul Safranek and his wife Audrey Safranek. Both of them tired of their stressful life in real bigsize world and wants to enter downsizing world. Apparently when Paul already done the procedures. His wife, Audrey called off in the last minute and  left Paul alone. One year later, they have divorced and Paul stucked in his new downsizing world. Later, he meet disabled viatnemese woman and falled in love with her and they ship together to Norway and he wants to live with her.

The ending of this movie is pretty hanging for me, where Paul brought food for old man at the poor district in downsizing world. I am not sure what the messages of this film. Paul seems happy with his life in downsizing world. Paul was stressful with his real life because he and his wife got the house loan application rejected and they feel frustrated of their job too. So, Paul decided to have new life in downsizing world and he seems happy with the vietnamese lady that he helped and meet later. I don't see the good points of this film, it's just an adventure of human who downsizing and have a life beyond he can ever imagined.

If you look for weekend movie or if you interest in adventure film, you can try this one.

Rating: 5/10


Kind regards,

Selene.

Choice

Once 
I thought I was perfect
Live a good life
Plan for good future
Dream for the star
Everything was simple

In fact
I am just being ignorant
Close my eyes
Choose the easy way
Let others do the heavy work
Ignore the sacrifices

The price of not knowing
The price of standing still
I thought there's none
The truth
I cannot pay for it
I cannot accept it
Ignorance is not bliss

Making decision
One over another
You have to find the courage
To accept the pain and regret
To live with the mistakes



Regards, 
Angela

Book Review: From Lukov with love (2018)

Synopsis: 

Jasmine Santos has dedicated her life for figure skating until she meet Ivan Lukov, the arrogant idiot that made her angry, hated and reconsider everything in her life, including him.

Review:

This is the love-hated love story between Jasmine Santos and Ivan Lukov. This is the figure skating love story that is beautifully written by Mariana Zapata. Jasmine is Ruby' little sister. Ruby' love story can be read in Dear Aaron book that I previously reviewed.

Jasmine is strong, stubborn and strong willed girl who dedicated her whole life to figure skating. She hated Ivan because his arrogant and smug behaviour. One day Jasmine get the chance to be Ivan' skating partner and she accepted it because she wanted to win the championship for the first time in her life. During the process and her heart brokenness because she felt she lost many things because figure skating and still won nothing, she falled in love with Ivan and Ivan loved her as well.

This story is emotional, slow burn love story that is well written and have nice plot as Mariana' writting style. I liked this book. This book tells many things about family relationship like Jasmine and her dad nad her mother. This book will make you laugh too, because Mariana always know how to make joke about something without feeling too much or dry, that's what I liked about her writting style. I can feel her sense of humor in her writting and at the same time still feel the bittersweet love feeling that she wanted to deliver it too. It's just a good romance book that you really should read this year. If you liked love-hate love story, this book definitely should be in your bookshelf.

Rating: 4.2/5



Regards,

~Selene.

Game Review : Himawari Sunflower

You can't forget

Beautiful dream

Dear all, 

At last I managed to finish another great game. I thought I won't find great moege game. Actually I wonder whether Himawari Sunflower is pure moege game. I think it was combination between moege and chunige. Anyway, this is one great game that was published by Frontwing. Well, I can say that Frontwing game is quite great like Sekai Project. 

To be honest at first I thought this is gonna be action visual novel. But it looks like that I am wrong. It was romance game with sad and mystery theme. I supposed this combination is quite good in itself. Especially the way it lay the story. Remind me about Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni in which you will only get complete answer after you complete true ending. It was quite long game but it really worth it. I know for some people amnesia story is cliched but I really like it. It makes you feel there's much more things happening behind the scene. And you kind of anticipate how it will unfold. Well, let's go to the story. 

The story is about amnesia boy name Hinata Youichi. He is the sole survivor of Saionji first passenger test flight. 518 lives died in the accident. It was not explained what caused the accident and how could Youichi survive. But don't worry, you will uncover the mystery at the end of true ending. But I have to warn that it was a sad one. So prepare your tissue guys. Together with side story Komurabi and Kagerou. It can break your heart. Yes the story really that sad but also beautiful. The characters are quite amazing in its own. They are not extravagant but your typical visual novel characters. Still, it leaves deep impression for me. The graphic is quite great too. But I think what makes all of this amazing is the music. It is not very deep and catchy like G-Senjou No Maou and Muv Luv but still very beautiful in its own right. I doubt it will be this amazing if not because of the music. I cannot stop listening to the music. Not to mention the voice acting was done by well known seiyuu like Hoshi Soichiro, Keiji Fujiwara, Ayako Kawasumi, Mikako Takahashi, Katsuyuki Konishi, etc. No wonder, I feel their voice are familiar in a good way. 

Well, it may looks like perfect and good. But I have to admit that it could have been better. I think they can really improve with the ending. I mean basically there are 3 heroines in this story which is Aries, Aqua, and Asuka. According to the walkthrough Asuka route have the true ending. From my experience, true ending should be the most impactful and thorough but somehow I prefer Aqua ending. Or maybe because I have high expectation for Asuka ending after playing Aqua ending. So when it doesn't exceed my expectation, I feel a little disappointed. Last but not least, about the epilogue. It really need improvement. I understand that they want to make an open ending. But I think it's better if they don't because it was done halfheartedly. 

Anyway, this is one great novel. I really recommend it for visual novel fans whether moege lovers or chunige lovers. 

Rating : 9.5 of 10 stars

Regards, 

Angela

Wish

Once I had a dream
Dream that no longer can be fulfilled
Still I wish 
To fulfill my dream

You might have been right
There's the truth in my soul
The mistakes of the past
A path I could never turn back on
As long as I was shackled by ghost of the past
I wouldn't be able to fulfill my wish

I knew from the very start
I couldn't do anything for this girl
Still I wish to save her
To grant her the happiness she deserved
Even if that wish was doomed
I still refused to let go

Even if we are wrong
We should never give up
It might not be the right one
But we cannot always be right
We can only find the resolve to move forward

I know
This life will be paved with misery
It may not lead to the happy ending
But we can walk together
And forgive each other
Even if our dreams remain ever unfulfilled


Regards, 
Angela